Former cop charged in killing

3 indicted for assault in Waldorf shotgun case

Friday, Jan. 2, 2009

Joseph John Plass, 57, of Waldorf, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault and carrying a deadly weapon with intent to injure after the Nov. 12 stabbing death of Shelton D. Stephens, 52, of Dunnellon, Fla.

Workers at the Super 8 motel in Waldorf said Stephens stumbled into the business at about 7:30 p.m. and collapsed on the lobby floor, where he died. Police allegedly found Plass next door at the Hooters carrying a knife in his pocket, according to charging documents.

Security cameras earlier caught a man dressed like Plass walking behind Stephens as he left the Hooters, court records state.

A witness reported seeing two men in the parking lot and said one man made a jabbing motion toward Stephens, who ran into the motel, the charging documents stated. The other man walked back into the Hooters, the witness stated according to the court papers.

Stephens owned a Florida-based boat towing company and the evening of his death, he was on a trip to deliver a vessel to New York from Welcome.

Three indicted

in Waldorf assault

Three people have been indicted on charges of trying to break into a Waldorf man's home armed with a pump shotgun, according to court papers.

Ashley Rachelle Ballard, 21, and Thomas Charles Washington, 22, both of Waldorf, have been charged with attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, assault and attempted burglary.

Travis Allen Cooper, 18, of Waldorf, was also charged as an adult in the incident, which occurred on Nov. 12 when he was 17 years old.

The victim told police Ballard was supposed to visit him the day of the incident and called him asking if he was standing outside his home on Lancelot Drive, according to the charging documents.

The victim went into his home and up the stairs so he couldn't be seen, the papers state.

He allegedly saw Ballard drive up in a red Cadillac, and two men, one of whom had a camouflaged shotgun, got out of her car and walked up to the home, according to the court papers.

The victim locked the door and asked his father to call the police, saying someone was trying to kill him, the statement of charges reports.

The victim told police he then heard pounding noises, as if someone were trying to kick in his bedroom door, according to the court documents. However, the men got back into the car and left, the papers stated.

Police responded to the call at about 12:32 p.m. and a short time later stopped a red Cadillac, the court records indicate. Authorities allegedly found a shotgun in the car, and the victim identified the Cadillac's three occupants as his assailants, according to the documents.

There were two rounds of ammunition in the shotgun tube, and another round was found on the floor of the car, the court papers show. Additionally police allegedly found a bag of what they believe was marijuana in Ballard's purse, according to the charging documents.

Bethany Rodgers